Motor vehicle



23 .1927.' r `1 639 881 Aug n H. D. CHURCH MOTOR VEHICLE originl Filed own, Il19137 2 Sheets-shea:v 1

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Q l'\ N N N N N l v A INVENTOR Mlm/4D amg.

ATTORN H. D. CHURCH MOTOR VEHICLE origina; Fil'd oef.12, 1917 2 sheets-sheet y`2 Aug. 23, '1927.' 1,639,881'

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l f INVENTOR Z4? l HdM/d 7u/rah Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD D. CHURCH, or salariati), CONNECTICUT, AssiGNon To PACKARD MOTORy Y can COMPANY, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, Aconromi'rion OFIMIOHIGAN.

Moron vnniorin.'

Original application filed' OctoberA 12, A1917, Serial No. 196,183. Dividedanil this application filed Sep? tember 28, 1922. Serial No.4 591,200. f

The present invention relates to motor vehicles, and more particularly to an axle construction thereiior.

ln motor trucks, a strong maximum road clearance is required. To obtain sufficient road clearance, however,

is diflicult because of the large gear ratio required in the differential. Furthermore, when a large gear reduction is made in the differential, the shaft sections which transmit the torque rointhe differential to the wheels must be of large diameter in order to be strong enough to carry the torque. It has been proposed to overcome the above difficulties by locating part or the reduction gearing at the Wheels. In the latter construction, there is a reduction Vat the diereiitial and another reduction at the wheels, and as the driving means connecting the differential andl wheel gearings is outside the load carrying member of the axle, a strong axle for a given weight is obtained. Moreover, as pa-rt of the reduction is at the wheels the means connecting the diiiereiitial and wheel gearings rotates at a high speed with proportionately less torque and therefore can be of a relatively light construction. Again, is small, the diierential itself is small, thereby giving greater road clearance. I this type of design is carried to its logical conclusion, obviously the reduction at the wheels will be as great as possible in order to permit the use of a small differential. But the reduction at the wheels is limited by the requirements of design, so that, for truckswhich must have a high reduction in the drive from the engine to the rear wheels, it is found that the dierential is large even when the maximum reduction at the wheels is utilized. p o One of the principal features of vthis invention consists in the provision ota strong axle construction which has means for supporting the diEei'ent-ial gearingsor that the necessary road clearance is obtained with a large differential.y rIn addition to the limitation of the reduction at the wheels, Vthe size 'of the reduction in the differential vis also limited. The reduction in the differential is limited bythe distance thattlie shaft sections connecting the differential and wheel gearings can be located radially from the center of the Wheel. Infan axle accordaxle giving 1 as the reduction in the differentialing to this invention, however, this limita tion is removed anda diierential reduction practically of Aany desired valuemay be used. f ,f y

A further feature of the inventionresides in the construction for mounting the wheels on the axle so that they are vsecured to they same for removal independently of the Wheelv gearing. That is to say, the wheels may be removed Without in any way disturbing the wheel driving gears. l

A further eature resides in the novel construction of the axle load carrying member.

Another feature consists in the provision of two widely spaced bearings for rotatively supporting each wheel on the axle load carrying member. In the type of drive involved in this invention, a gear is secured tothe wheel, and if the wheel has any tilting movement about an axis perpendicular to the Whe-el axis, the gear has a correspond! ing tilting motion, which causes excessive wear' and, of course, increased friction in thevvlieel gearing. Obviously, it' the Wheel. bearings are close together, the looseness in the bearings permits a greater tilting of the wheel thanin the case Where the bearings are Widely spaced. y

Another feature consists in the combination and arrangementof parts whereby the wheel gearing may be located in a casing within the wheel .brake drinn and yet permit a large reduction 'ratio "between the engine and wheels. f v ther objects and features of novelty will loe apparent from the description taken in connectionwitli the drawings, in which:

l is a sectional plan` view of a portion of a motor vehiclev showing oneembodiment oiLl the present invention; VFig. 2 is a sectionalview, similar to Fig. l, illustrating another lform of the invention; y l

l Fig. 3 is afplan viewVoftheaxle and wheels of the forms of vthe invention shown in Figsil andQ,k i lf' Fig. 4 is a rear elevation Ot Fig'.v 3,; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view, ,partially in section,

illustrating the construction y'loi's'ecuriiig the differential casing to the vload carrying member of the forms shownwin Figsl and 2.

VReferring now to the form O the invention shown by Figs. l, 8, land 5, it will be seen that the load, 'carrying member 2l() oi the aXle construction is a solid member which movement. It will be seen that the above extends rom'wheel to wheel and carries the described yarrangement ofY parts associated n wheels on the ends thereo'l'. As shown in the with the bearing 228 takes up the thrust f 232 which is formed with a bore having a drawings, this member is ot I-beam cross towards therightfas lviewed in Fig. 1,the' section and has its :greatest depth' at `Vrthe cen- 'torce V:olf the'l thrusawi-llybecarriedto tral part ot its length. The web of this cenconical sleeve 265 of the internal gear adja` tral part is formed with an aperture 211 so cent tothe outer race ring 238 ot' the bearing that the said central part in effect may be 228, through the rollers and inner race ring considered as a ring. The ends of the memof the bearing to the shoulder'. 237 ot the ber 210 are each formed with a reduced axle. In a similar manner il the wheel is threaded lportion 235, 'the cylindrical portion thrust towardsthe left, as viewed in rl, 260, conicalv` portion 224 connected to the the torce thereof will be transmitted through cylindrical' portiony 260 and l then the enthe'bearing 228to the inner race ring V236, larged cylindrical portion 261 having a thence through the `conical sleeve 233, the shouldered portion 262, which. is adjacent inner yrace ring 264 of the bearing 22'? to the thepa'd 263to which a spring 'may' be senut 234 on the axle.A n V cured. Anend plate 220 is .mounted on theA The vehicle may be provided Awith the shouldered portion 262 et the load carrying usual brake drum 242 with which Ythev brake member and this plate is secured to the memband 243 is adapted to co-operate. It will ber againstrotation in any desired manner be seen that the arrangement of the partsis as by being shrunk thereon. A casing mein such that the gear casing is mounted so that ber 221 is secured. to the plate 220, as by it is radially within the brake drum of the means ot bolts 222, 4so that the plate 220 and wheel. Consequently, the gear casing is promember 221 formi an oil tight casing or tected to a considerable extent against hit-Y housing tor the wheel driving gears. A ting protruding objects. roller bearing 227 is mounted on the cylinabove described arrangement-'ef parts per- 228 on the cylindrical portion 261 of the load tially in the transverse plane with the in-` carrying member. Interpose'd between the ternal gear 231. .[tis desirablefto have this inner race ring .of the bearing 227 and the bearing as near as possibl'e'in the plane' of inner race ring of the' bearing 228 is aconithe gear 231'so as to eliminate the moment cal sleeve 233. The arrangement ol the parts tending to turn the gear "transversely, this is such that thenutv 234 screwed en the'.vr moment being due to' ythe "thrustiof'th'er gears threaded end 235 of the axle member thrusts on each other. the race ring 264 of bearing 227 against the sleeve 233 which in turn thrusts the race. ring 236 against the shoulder 237 formed upon which is secured to the load carrying inemthe shouldered portion 262. An internal ber oit the axle by means ot thebolts 246, gear231 is arranged within the gear casing the tlangebeing spaced' from the webct' Jlhe and is formed with a projecting hub which is member as may be' required by the 'lugs or is shown in Fig. 5, the differential casing 244 is provided with a circular liange 245,

f mounted on the outer race ring 238 ot the spacing members, 247. ltwill be seen 'that bearing 228. For the purpose ot preventing by providing the aperture 211 inthe webct longitudinal movement of the gear with re'- the axle member 210 `and 'increasing -the spect to the bearing, the hub is provided depth thereof at the central part,- the ditl'erwith the internal lip 239 which abuts one end ential. casing 244 is permitted to 'extend of the outer race ring and vthe removable through the aperture 211, 'thus allowing-'the ring 240 which abuts the other en'd of said use ot a differential which hasy a high reducrace ring.' Projecting from the opposite tion. Furthermore, although the Vweb-fof the side of said gear, with respect to theportion axle member is cut awayfat 211, the ystrength just described, isa conical sleeve 265y which of the member is not decreased'fas thead'ded carries a wheel 225 of thevehicle. For this depth more than compensates-fonthe web purpose the wheelis provided with a hub cutaway. v

The v ditterential casing on opposite; sides Ythe Furthermore, the

conical portion adapted to take over the' conical sleeve 265 .with a circular portion 266 adapted to receive the outer race ring of the bearing 227. In order to secure the wheel to the gear 231 for rotation therewith,`the gear if provided with a circular series ot bolts 267,"which'are'threaded in a. portion ot' the gear just outside its hub and extend through the hub 232'ot the wheel. The 0pposite ends of the bolts 267-have the nuts 268 and 269 screwed thereon for securing the wheel and gear againstrelative longitudinal thereof is formed with the hollow bosses248 and 249. The end plate 220 ol the ywheel* gear casing-is provided with .a hollow yboss which is aligned-with' the boss 2481` and a tube orsleeve251 is Amounted in these two bosses. A similar tube-252 extends from the boss 249 tothe' opposite'gear casing.v For the purpose-ot lrotativelyconnecting thez'differential and the wheel225, vther shaft 253 Vextends from the ldiiierential.ithrough the tube 251 and into-the wheel gear casing,-and has on the end;thereofrfwithinthe/said cas vJlIlCedportion.26021llClilnotllerrolleriheaningiimits.tlieloearing2282to bede-cated substanf- A ing, a pinion 254 which meshes with the annular gear 231. A similar shaft 255 extends to the other Wheel.

It is to be understood that Fig. 4 illustrates the differential casing and portion of the axle which goes with Figs. 1 and 2 and that although only one wheel is illustrated that the parts on the right-hand side of the differential, as viewed in Fig. 4, are the same as the parts on the left-hand side shown by Figs. 1 or 2, and hence illustration thereof is not necessary.

The form of the invention illustrated by Fig. 2 is the same as that shown by Fig. 1 except that the internal gear 331 is not formed integral with the conical sleeve 365, as is shown in Fig. 1. For the purpose of connecting the internal gear 331 and the vehicle wheel 325, the conical sleeve 365 is formed with the radial flange 339, which at one side thereof carries the annular gear 331 and has threaded therethrough the circular series of bolts 367. Each lof these bolts extends through the hub 232 of the wheel, and has a nut 368 on the corresponding end thereof. The other end of each bolt 'extends through the annular gear 331, and a nut 269 secures the said gear against the an'ge 339.

In the operation o-f the parts shown by Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the shaft 256 driven by the vehicle motor through the differential rotates th-e shafts 253 and 255, thereby through the wheel gearings driving the wheels. It will be observed that Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a gear reduction at the wheels which is of as large a value as can be obtained with the gearing arranged within the brake drum. Furthermore, because of the method of attaching the differential casing to the load carrying member of the axle, a differential having a high gear reduction may be used as the size of the casing is not limited by the distance between the axis of the shaft 253 and the load carrying member of the axle. The aperture 211 in the load carrying member permits the differential casing to project through the web of the member so that a large casing, and consequently, a large gear reduction in the differential may be used. In addition to the feature just described, the vehicle wheel may be removed from the axle without in any way disturbing the wheel gearing. For this purpose the nuts 268 are removed whereupon the wheel may be withdrawn from the conical sleeve 265 by screwing up the set screw 270 which is carried in the hub of the wheel, and has its inner end in contact with the radial flange on the said conical sleeve. If it is necessary to get at the gearing, then the nut 234 and cap 257 on the end of the axle are unscrewed and the bolts 224 connecting the casing members removed whereupon all the parts carried by' the end of the axle except the casing plate 220 may be taken off. In the form of the invention shown by Fig. 1, if a new internal gear is required, of course the attached hub and conical sleeve must also be furnished, whereas in the form shown by Fig. 2, as the gear is detachable -from the hub, only the detachable portion need be replaced.

It is understood that although several embodiments of the invention have been described specifically, yet the details thereof may be varied within the scope of the attached claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a motor vehicle axle construction, thel combination of a load 'carrying member having spindle portions at its ends, a road wheel for each spindle` portion comprising inner and outer hubs detachably connected together, and separated bearings between each spindle portion and its wheel, one of said bearings being between the inner hub and said lspindle portion and the other said bearing being between the outer hub and said spindle portion.

2. In a motor vehicle axle construction, the combination of a load carrying rrmember having a spindle portion at its end, spaced bearings on the `spindle portion, a sleeve mounted on one of said bearings so that end thrusts of said sleeve are taken entirely through said bearing, and a wheel detachably mounted on said sleeve and having a part mounted on the other of said bearings.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HAROLD D. CHURCH. 

